As the economy continues to founder, it’s a good time to help students improve their financial literacy. I’d like to think when they grow up they might handle the economy better than we have. America’s Prmoise Alliance has developed curriculum on financial responsibility, Saving Our Futures, where you’ll find lots of materials here to help educate your students on being smart with money. SOF uses simple, practical advice such as don’t buy stuff you cannot afford. It also explains credit, savings, and even gets into public policy.

Saving Our Futures is a companion to the documentary I.O.U.S.A. If you haven’t seen it and don’t want to shell out for a DVD, the documentary website has a condensed 30-minute version. It’s pretty frightening, and would be a good introduction to these materials for your students in a scared-straight sort of way.

Lest you think you don’t have time to teach this stuff, may I direct your attention to the epidemic of home foreclosures and lost jobs in America. Making sure students know a thing or two about money may prevent a mess like this from happening again. -BILL FERRIS

Saving Our Futures

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There are lot of web search options out there, and not a lot of money in school budgets. Given those two tensions, many districts are looking for ways to save money, and find more “free” options. One of the earliest online tools that my district purchased was NetTrekker, a subscription-based web search service that provides reviewed web sites in its search results. Is it worth the money, or is this a cost schools could reasonably cut? Here’s my input from an elementary perspective.

The Setup:

I ran a search on the word “astronomy.” I used the Elementary page from NetTrekkerDI. To compare, I used Google, Yahoo!Kids (a free, kid-friendly site), KidRex (promising a “Safe Search” version of Google), and MelZoo (which gives a screen-shot preview of the page, great for helping kids figure out if the site is for them). I choose them because these are both subjects that I have had problems locating web sources for in the past.

Findings

Astronomy is one of the few topics where a Google-based search returns something besides a Wikipedia page as the top result, in this case Astronomy.com was returned for all but NetTrekker and Yahoo!Kids. NetTrekker has two excellent sources, Ology, and KidsAstronomy.com, but have duplicate entries for the sites going to obscure pages. The first search result takes you to a hangman game on Kids Astronomy, but there is no high-level result for the entry page on the site. Ology, another great resource, has multiple entries. Yahoo!Kids had a similar random quality to it.

Search results

· astronomy – Google Search

· Yahoo! Kids : Search Results

· MelZoo – Web results for “astronomy”

· astronomy – KidRex

· This is a link to bookmarks for the first page of the results returned from my NetTrekker search, the number indicates the order it appeared in the results.

I got much better results from Google-based search engines (Google and MelZoo) when I added the term “children” to “astronomy”. KidRex appeared to already do this.

The verdict

You don’t always get what you pay for. Much of the elementary content you get for a fee from NetTrekker, you can find elsewhere for free simply by adding the term “children” to your search. There are other bells and whistles on NetTrekker, but some of them (the text to speech function) don’t work well with low-memory computers, such as the ones in my lab. I think the visual previews (from free services like MelZoo) are more useful.

I’ve supported using NetTrekker as one among many tools for students, but even then I noted it’s limitations in not being as up-to-the-minute on all subjects. In addition, kids need to have a broad-based curriculum in using search engines, which includes:

1. using Boolean operators (AND, OR, “-”)
2. evaluating search result entries before going to the page
3. evaluating search result entries after going to the page

NetTrekker attempts to make most of those lessons unnecessary. This is not a good thing for kids because they will be using Google, or similar tools, outside the classroom. -ALICE MERCER

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In today’s economy, two things are certain:

1. Lazy writers will lead off their stories by saying how bad the economy is.
2. People are looking harder for good deals.

If you’re an educator who’d like to find good deals on books, head to your local Borders bookstore March 19 through 25 and get 25% off. Just bring “proof of educator status,” which I assume includes school IDs, lanyards, and lungs full of chalk dust (you may want to check on those last two, however).

Borders seems to do these events a couple times per year, so this is a good promotion to keep track of (FYI, they also have educator discount program you can apply for).

On Friday, March 20 there will be a special reception, too, which means you can probably get some cookies in addition to saving a few bucks. That’s a smart move no matter how the economy’s doing. -BILL FERRIS

Borders Educator Appreciation Week

In my own geeky world of talk radio programs, This American Life adds a little bit more of a storytelling element than most programming on National Public Radio. To me, anyway, the TAL team’s stories can arguably be considered more accessible than NPR. Now it time for me to sit back and let my inbox fill up with a whole bunch of hate. But I will concede this: NPR’s Planet Money podcast has been on fire lately.

So when Planet Money’s Alex Blumberg and Adam Davidson made this episode for This American Life, it was the best of both worlds. They do an excellent of job explaining the breakdown in banking that has occurred and the problems that banks currently face. The acting sounds a bit hammy sometimes, but I think its also hammy on purpose, as though they’re subtly being a bit derisive towards the bad borrowers and lenders.

The Bad Bank episode is a good starting point for students who have questions about what started this whole recession mess. The best part is that Blumberg and Davidson make it understandable for people like me, who — while incredibly smart — still have difficulty getting past the language barrier of business and finance. -NICK YINGLING

This American Life: Bad Bank

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Unless you were living under a rock (like Mr. Snail over there), you’ve probably heard about the recent federal stimulus package. You’ve probably also heard that some of that money will be for schools and education. Now that the legislation has passed, and been signed by President Obama, you may wonder, oh reader, what does this mean for me?

This handy dandy link (provided to the writer by Larry Ferlazzo), breaks down the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) estimates of how much money will go to each school district. Hint, the money is only for Title 1 and IDEA (Special Education). Happy spending! -ALICE MERCER

Photo credit: jciv on Flickr.

If there is one thing I learned from my third marriage it is this: always have a prenup. Failing that, I guess the next thing best thing is to just have so much money it doesn’t really matter. Now the question becomes, “How do I get ultra-mega rich?”

Countless late night infomercials each make their own claims about how to reach Scrooge McDuck levels of wealth, and a semi-frequent one is that you should make your money work for you. I mean, that’s a tactic Wall Street wizards use all the time—why can’t you?

The Stock Market Game is a great way for students to practice saving and investing skills, as well as build upon a lot of other subject-matter skills in the process. Some readers out there, like myself, remember doing this game the old fashioned way — our teacher gave us an imaginary cash amount and then our class tracked the investments using newspapers. This process was made even more difficult by the fact that this was the Dark Ages before we had computers, when pterodactyl attacks were all too common.

Now the game is online, allowing students to look at their portfolio, enter transactions, and research stocks and mutual funds. I’d still encourage actual newspapers in the classroom — letting a kid glean just a little insight to those confusing business section pages listing all the small numbers can be pretty empowering.

A quick note: Registration dates vary from state to state. Also, it would seem as though some spring-semester programs have already begun. By clicking through the “Registration” link, you will be able to find your local coordinator who will be able to provide you with more information about getting started. -NICK YINGLING

The Stock Market Game

Photo credit: azrainman on Flickr.

Have rising gas costs put a stop to field trips at your school? More and more schools are cutting back on field trips to save money. Pity, since you can find so many whiz-bang learning opportunities outside the classroom. If your great field trip ideas are at risk, consider applying for a Target field trip grant. The retail giant will gole out 5,000 grants of up to $800 each this school year.

You can apply online anytime before November 1. You only get one submission, though, so make it count.  “Visit the zoo. Go backstage at a local theater. Tour a museum,” suggests the website. Of course, if you really want to win one of these, you could propose a trip to your local Target retailer. Or a nearby national park, that would probably work, too. -BILL FERRIS

Target Field Trip Grants

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Sound Field Trip Advice from Kidcast

Schools get hit hard by rising gas prices — not only do teachers and staff have to pay more in gas, but so do parents dropping off their kids. A lot of kids take the bus to school, but it’s not an option for many families.

GoLoco is doing its part to encourage car pooling by making it easier to find folks to share rides with. You can sign up for a free account to find other commuters going your way. Fewer cars on the road will save you pennies, reduce traffic congestion, and do a good turn for the environment.

Your fellow teachers will love the idea of saving a few bucks, but don’t forget to let parents know about GoLoco, too. The more people sign up, the more likely it is to find rides. And the more people in your car pool, the more money you save. -BILL FERRIS

GoLoco

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Education Week is holding their Back-to-School Open House. From September 1-7, you can access all the site’s premium content. In their own words, “enjoy full FREE access to absolutely everything!”

Education Week has lots of info on important K-12 issues. Now’s your chance to read up on what’s going on in educational policy without spending a dime. -BILL FERRIS

Education Week

I hope you’re all enjoying your summer vacation. Maybe you’ve got some plans for the Independence Day weekend. Then again, with gas prices shooting into the stratosphere, maybe you don’t.

In these days of pricey petrol, you’ve got to get a little creative to save money on gas. That’s why you should head over to SmartPlanet and read their post, Top 10 eco driving tips to beat fuel rises. These tips include common sense (car pooling), hypermiling (get into second and fourth gear quickly), and some tips that are actually more convenient than conventional wisdom (at high speeds, crank the A/C and keep those windows rolled up to reduce drag).

The list is packed with useful advice and charming Britishisms like motorway, lift, and complaints about how “unleaded’s now 112.6 pence per litre,” whatever that means. So don’t let high fuel prices keep you cooped up this holiday. Read this advice and hit the road! -BILL FERRIS

Top 10 eco driving tips to beat fuel rises via SmartPlanet

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35 Scholarships Anyone Can Get - CollegeDegree.com has put this list of scholarships together that just about anyone is eligible for. The list includes scholarships in various amounts, as well as essay writing contests and some unorthodox contests like the Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Scholarship.

50 Things from Ben Jones – Ben Jones blogs for the M.I. T. admissions department. This letter, addressed to the incoming freshman, is a quick and dirty “here are the things I wish I’d known” list, with such advice as: All nighters are highly overrated. You said it, Ben.

101 Tips to Help You Make Money Doing What You Love – If you love teaching, don’t ever stop. But if your students have no idea what to do with their lives, then point them towards continuing to do the things they love. These tips from InspiredMoneyMaker.com should do the trick.

No Takebacks! Five Playground Rules to Live By – When the kids are at recess, you might do yourself some good by paying attention to what they’re yelling at one another. As it turns out, those tried and true rules like: No cutting and No do-overs might be more applicable to your adult life than you thought. From Dumb Little Man. – JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

(photo by: HeavyWeightGeek on Flickr)

50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do – Do you know how to build a fire? How about CPR, do you know it? Or give directions? All of these things are essential life skills that you should know if you don’t already. This list from Marc and Angel covers everything from swimming to changing a tire in order for you to be more self-reliant.

6 Things Money Cannot Help You Achieve – Even Bill Gates and Steve Jobs still have to deal with the same time that you and I do, even if they could buy and sell you and me in a heartbeat. Surely there are other things than the ones presented on this list by Dumb Little Man, but these 6 make good sense. Money can’t buy you self-esteem, unfortunately, nor will it buy happiness.

52 Character Building Thoughts for Children – These might not be great tips for your older students, but the elementary crowd could really benefit from them. Leah Davies, M. Ed. brings us these great quotes on KellyBear.com. There are some real gems here, like this: When I am sad, I help myself feel better by thinking of things that are good in my life.

9 Ways to Save At The Movies – I know this isn’t completely related to teaching, but since school is out for most of us, we might have some more free time on our hands. Unfortunately, free time allows you to spend more money. If you plan to see any of the awesome, or not awesome movies this summer, here are some ways you can save from The Consumerist. My favorite on the list: Be careful with the concessions. -JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

(photo by Jo Jakeman on Flickr)

12 Superfoods You Need to be Eating – If there’s anyone who loves to eat, it’s me. Unfortunately, I don’t always pay too much attention to what I am putting in my body. Lucky for me, and everyone else out there who trying to get beach ready, StartCooking.com offers this list of some of the foods you might already be eating, and some that you should start. Thankfully on the list: peanut butter. Nom.

60 Selected Best Famous Quotes – “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”—Wayne Gretzky. For this and other gems of wisdom, point your browser over to Litemind to discover some highly thought provoking quotes just in time for dinner party season. Or, I guess you can dole some out in your classroom to help you students realize how well-read you are. I’m thinking this is where I’ll go when I need something to open my first novel.

100 Must-Read Books: The Essential Man’s Library – I never thought I would include a blog called The Art of Manliness on a education blog, but here I am. This list isn’t exclusively for men, of course, but it does offer some great reads for those of us who don’t fancy Little Women. Maybe this list can inspire some of your guy students to want to read this summer. Not surprisingly included on the list, A Catcher in the Rye.

15 Ways to Teach Kids About Money – Most of us are pinching pennies right now, but that doesn’t mean our youngsters know what the words “recession,” “inflation,” or “insufficient funds” mean. Right now might be the best time to teach them though, according to this list from Family Education:

Help children learn the differences between needs, wants, and wishes. This will prepare them for making good spending decisions in the future.

Those are words we can probably all benefit from. – JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

How to Save Money on Gas – 29 Tips – I now own a car for the first time in ages. In fact, the last time I had to fill up a tank it barely cost me a nickel. And back then there were only 14 cars, period. Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but gas is seriously expensive right now. Here’s a great list from OpenTravelInfo.com, where they explore some easy and great ways to cut down on the amount of nickels you pour down your tank.

18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess – Let me guess, you “know where everything is,” right? Even so, it doesn’t make your work any easier. Who wants to come home from a cluttered desk to a cluttered desk? Zen Habits presents these 18 tips on where to begin.

8 Ways to be Ruthless With Your Time – Who knew that actually planning your day would save you time? Not me, I guess. Thanks to Lifehack, now I know that scheduling things before I do them can help me save some minutes. Read more about it and seven other tips here.

29 Healthiest Foods on the Planet – If Superman was a real dude, I imagine his menu might look a little something like this. This list via BellyBites.com boasts such delicious and nutritious foods such as Apricots, Bok Choy and Crab. (Not a suggested combination of ingredients, however.) –JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

Photo credit: incurable_hippie on flickr.

11 Odd but Simple Ways to Improve Your Health
There’s nothing like a good nasal rinse. Or how about a fast to detoxify your body? These offbeat health tips can keep your body running smoothly. After all the stress you put it through every day in class, you at least owe yourself a skin brushing.

1001 Books You Have to Read Before You Die
Need a good book to read? Check out this exhaustive (and exhausting) list of great books. You’ll find everything from Oscar Wilde to Douglas Adams, plus lots, lots, lots more. If you want to read all 1001 of these before you croak, you’d best get started soon.

George Orwell: 6 Questions/6 Rules
The author of 1984 and Animal Farm presents these rules for writers to live by. My favorite: “Never use a long word where a short one will do.” What a stupdendous idea!

16 Things I Wish They Had Taught Me in School

A lot of life skills don’t fall within the scope of science, math or English class. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to squeeze in some valuable real-world lessons into your teaching, though. The Positivity Blog presents this list of lessons the author had to learn the hard way. By imparting concepts like the 80/20 Rule (we get 80% of the value we receive from only 20% of the things we do) and the value of making mistakes to your students, you can help them be productive members of society.

How to Ace Your Job Interview: 88 Surefire Tips and Tricks
Your students are about to head out into the world, and that means they’re going to need to get a job soon. Make sure you pass along these tips from the Online Education Database about how to secure employment. The list addresses everything from cover letters to grooming. A lot of it seems like common knowledge, but you know people don’t make lists like these unless there were a bunch of clueless applicants out there. These tactics will give your students an advantage over the competition, and they might even come in handy for your own future job search.

Photo credit: lagiuspo on flickr.